Emergency declared as up to 4 inches of snow falls per hour across tristate region

A state of emergency was declared in New York City as the winter storm continued to blanket the five boroughs with sleet and snow Thursday.

A state of emergency was declared in New York City on Thursday.Credit: Getty Images

A state of emergency was declared in New York City as the latest winter storm continued to blanket the five boroughs with sleet and snow Thursday.

As of 9 a.m., some 7 inches of new snow accumulated in Central Park, according to the National Weather Service. Snow will continue to fall at 2 to 4 inches per hour in the tristate area during the storm.

"With this winter storm continuing to deliver snow, ice and freezing rain across parts of the state, I am declaring a state of emergency in these regions so that we can continue to effectively respond to the storm and aid communities in need," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement Thursday morning.

The nor'easter also prompted officials to declare a state of emergency for the mid-Hudson and Long Island regions. Critical resources have been deployed by the state to assist local municipalities.

"These regions are expected to continue to receive heavy snow that may accumulate at rates of around 2 to 3 inches per hour, which will make it difficult for plows to keep some roads clear. New Yorkers should stay off of the roads and remain in their homes until the worst of the storm has passed," Cuomo said.